Catamenial napkin



E. SPRAGUE. CATAMENIAL NAFKIN. APPucATloN FILED :una s, 1914.

1,195,621. A Patented-Aug. 22,1916.

SYODMWM TED sTATEs y NTo ca. l

ELIZABETH SPRAGUE, 0F MINEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

CATAMENIAL NAPKIN.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Application led June 1, i914. Serial No. 842,266..

To all whom z't may Concern:

Beit known that I, ELIZABETH SPRAGUE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Catamenial Napkins, of which the following is a specification. rl `he object of this invention is to provide a catarnenial napkin or bandage that is inexpensive; that can be rolled up into a small, compact package so as to be capable of being sold from a coin operated machine; that is sanitary and easily appliedand held in position by a simple and single tape, without the use of straps, belts, buckles, buttons or harness of any kind; which is provided with a'self-closing pocket in which suitable absorbent material 1s placed' and in which it is firmly held without the use of safety pins or other fastening devices, and in which the backing of the Ydevice isl provided with a Asheet of vflexible rubber or similar impervious material which is completely inclosed and surrounded so as to be incapable of com.- ingin contact with the person ofthe wearer.-

The invention consists generally in the constructions and combinations hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in vention, Fig. -2 is a plan view of one of the backing sheets with the rubber sheet secured thereto before the backing is folded and stitched., Fig. 3 is a similar view of the completed device, Fig. 4 is a transverse sectionon line 4-4 of Fig. 3. i

In the drawings, 2 represents a sheet of material Vpreferably of rectangular shape and formed of any suitable soft and pliable fabric. Upon one surface of this sheet I sccure, preferably by stitching, a sheet 3, also .preferably rectangular, of soft rubber, or

other suitable impervious, flexible material. This sheet of.impervious material occupies the inner bottom surface of the self-closing pocket and is th'us absolutely prevented from coming in contact with the flesh of the person wearing the device. The sheet 2 is folded so as to form two flaps 4 and 5, extendingl preferably the full length of the sheet, the flap 4 being folded first and the flap 5 being folded down on top of the iiapv 4. Transverse rows of stitches 6 and 7 are then run through both flaps and the central section of the backing. The ends of the napkin are then finished, one end preferably by having an elastic loop 8 stitched into it and the other end being folded over and form-l the flap 4. The pocket can then be filled with absorbent cotton 11, or other suitable material, which will lie over the impervious sheet of material 3. The pocket is co1n' pletely -self-closing owing to the fact that its ends are formed by the transverse rows of Stltching and the aps 4 and 5 are compelled to lie one o ver the other. No safetypins or other devices are requiredto hold thc absorbent material in place or to keep the'pocket closed. The pocket vnaturally remains closed and the material is held there'- in when the device is in use. The sheet of 4impervious material 3 at the bottom of the pocket prevents the discharge passing through the backing. The absorbent cotton can he quickly removed by opening the selfclosing pocket and the cotton can be renewed at will. The napkin, with the cotton removed, can be washed 'or laundried in the usual way. For holding the device in place, l preferably employ a tape 12i which passes through the transverse loop 9 and the elastic loop -8.

The device is exceedinglyr s iinple and is without any metal parts, such as. buckles, `buttiins or safety pins. It can be rolled up luto a small compass and ,sold through the iuedpm of coin operated machines placed in sleeping cars, and toilet and dressing rooms.

The device possesses an immense advantage in the -fact that the rubber sheet is covered and protected from contact with the Y person of the wearer. The self-closing feature of the pocket is also of -great value as thereby no safety pins, buckles, straps or other devices are required to hold the ,absorbent material in place, and this material can he removed and replaced at will.

rlhe details of the construction may be varied 1n many particulars without departing from my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device of they class described, comprising in combination a backing formed of av suitable fabric and provided with oppositely arranged iaps folded over the backing and overlapping each other, a sheet of impervious material secured to the backing on the inner face thereof, means for uniting the flaps to the backing adjacent the ends of said impervious sheet and forming the end closures of a self-closing pocket, and absorbent material in said pocket. v

2. A device of the class described comprising in combination, a backing formed of a suitable fabric and provided with oppositely arranged flaps folded over the backing and overlapping each other, a sheet of impervious material secured' to the backing on the inner face thereof, transverse rows of 15 stitching extending across said flaps and backingadjacent theends of said impervious sheet for uniting the flaps to the backing and forming the end closures of a self-closing pocket, and absorbent material in said 20 pocket.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of May 1914.

ELIZABETH SPRAGUE.

Witnesses:

EDWARD A. PAUL, C. H. REHFUss. 

